COMPANY administrations have fallen below pre-credit crunch levels, according to a report today.

Figures from business advisory firm Deloitte showed there were 1,065 administrations during the first half of 2010.

The figure was 43% down on the same period last year and 25% below the first quarter of 2006 – the last full year before the financial downturn began.

In addition, corporate administrations fell by 18% in the second quarter of 2010 compared with the first three months of the year.

Dan Butters, reorganisation services partner at Deloitte in West Yorkshire, said the figures painted a more positive picture than an earlier Deloitte survey, which raised fears of a “double dip” recession.

He said companies and lenders were taking a pro-active approach, which continued to have a positive effect in helping firms avoid collapse.

“By acting sooner, companies have, been able to remedy problems more effectively,” he said. “Equally, lenders have been supportive, preferring to make debt-for-equity swaps or even advance suitably priced risk capital, rather than crystallise their debt through an insolvency process.”

Manufacturing, retailing, property and construction were the sector reporting the biggest fall in the number of administrations during the half-year.